Licences of 16 pilots revoked over fake degrees

Civil Aviation Authority officials told Supreme Court of Pakistan that the licences of 16 pilots and 65 crew members have been suspended for fake degrees

News Desk

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has suspended licences of 16 pilots and 65 cabin crew of various airlines for allegedly holding fake degrees.

This was revealed by the CAA officials before a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court on Wednesday. The bench, headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar was hearing a case relating to the verification of degrees of pilots and other staff of various airlines operating in the country.

The CAA counsel informed the bench that the verification of degrees of all airline staff had been completed, except six. These six cases involve airline officials who are currently abroad.

He stated the degrees of 16 pilots and 65 cabin crews turned out to be forged during the verification process. The licences of these staff members were subsequently suspended.

Justice Nisar during the hearing remarked that an impression prevailed that the authorities were acting with “haste” regarding the matter of educational credentials because of court orders. “We do not want to prohibit anyone’s livelihood,” he added.

The top judge stressed that the record on the basis of which airline staff have been suspended should be correct.

The CAA lawyer stated that the pilots whose licences have been suspended have the right to appeal.

Appearing before the bench, a pilot complained that his licence was suspended even though “my degree is genuine”. The chief justice, however, directed all airline officials to approach the relevant forums with their grievances.

During the last hearing of the case in December last year the national carrier had informed the court that the academic credentials of seven pilots of the Pakistan International Airlines had been found to be bogus and five of them have not even done matric.

According to a report submitted by the additional attorney general in the court earlier, there are 3,667 pilots and cabin crew in all four local airlines.

The SC bench disposed of the case, which it had taken up in May 2018, after hearing all the parties.